One Way Or Another
by l0stinl0ve
Summary: Written for HP-Darkfest on LJ. Ron would do anything to ensure that he and Hermione end up together, it's only what everyone expects, right? But in the process of ensuring their love for one another, something goes horribly wrong. Warnings: Implicit Sex, Explicit Sex, Dubious Consent, Character Death. Happy Ending for Dramione.


Written for the hp_darkfest on Livejournal.

**Pairing(s)/Characters:** Draco/Hermione, Ron/Hermione (unrequited)  
**Summary:** Ron would do anything to ensure that he and Hermione end up together, it's only what everyone expects, right? But in the process of ensuring their love for one another, something goes horribly wrong.  
**Prompt: **"When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love." - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince  
**Rating:** NC-17  
**Word count:** ~5k  
**Warnings:** Implicit Sex, Explicit Sex, Dubious Consent, Character Death  
**Author notes:**This is the first fic I've written for a festival, and what you're about to read is my second attempt at this prompt. My first attempt, I wrote a grip of words (~25k) and wasn't anywhere near done so I scrapped (more like put it on the backburner for something else, maybe) it and came up with this little plot bunny that I'm actually much happier with. Thank you to tygermine for the beta, becoming my friend through it all, and holding my hand through my first attempt at writing smut. I hope you all enjoy!

**One Way Or Another**

Ron wanted to make Hermione happy. He knew she was still a little peeved with him from their last argument. He just didn't understand why she needed to go back to Hogwarts. They had spent the last year fighting in a war, the Ministry offering them any job that they could want to make up for it. The Order of Merlin, First Class that they had all received came with a hefty reward. Yet, Hermione insisted that she stilled needed to sit her N.E.W.T.s, and the best way to ensure the best scores was to return for the proverbial 'eighth year' that several other students were also taking advantage of - Ron and Harry excluded.

He just didn't get her sometimes.

But he did love her. He loved her a lot, and even if they didn't see eye to eye. He wanted to marry her, raise a family. He figured she could work for a bit, but would ultimately quit her job and keep house and raise their children while he worked in Sports and Games.

It was a dream he had had since fourth year when he finally realised she was a girl. Hermione was his girl and he'd do anything to make it happen.

Anything just so happened to include adding a little potion to her morning tea. He picked the small vial from an apothecary in Knockturn Alley. He figured that after all the raids the Ministry was conducting on anywhere related to the 'dark', the vendor must be a little bit reputable to still be in business.

The vendor, the man, reminded Ron of Snape quite a bit - and Snape was considered one of the best Potion Masters, so he figured the potion was well made. Ron listened carefully to the instructions at first - _no more than two drops and she'll be listening to whatever suggestions you may have. _The man had leered at the word 'suggestions' and Ron's mind quickly trailed off to all the fantasies - no longer listening to the man - of what he and Hermione could finally fulfil once they had gotten over their little tiff.

He watched Hermione carefully as she sipped at her tea. He tried to be as inconspicuous as possible and maintained his morning routine - eating a hearty breakfast - which wasn't very difficult. She looked to him and smiled, giving Ron hope that all would be well between the two of them.

Harry patted his shoulder and eyed the fields outside the window, then nodding his head at the brooms by the door. Ron looked back to Hermione and mentally shrugged. It would probably be a good idea to let the potion go through her system before he made any attempt at grasping his future.

He followed Harry outside to play some Quidditch, contemplating the first thing he would suggest to his Hermione.

OWOA

"I can't believe you would suggest such a thing, Ronald!" Hermione shouted, grabbing her clothes and stuffing them in the trunk at the foot of the trundle bed in Ginny's bedroom.

Ron, baffled at the reaction, was sitting on Ginny's bed, watching his girlfriend -_was she still his girlfriend?_- pack her belongings away.

The man said that she would take the suggestion, maybe he took it a bit too far. Telling her they should get married and started on a family was probably a dumb idea, even he could admit that. But she had just walked into the room from after her bath, wrapped in a towel, droplets of water trailing down her skin. It was difficult to think. How could she blame him for wanting to claim her when she looked like that?

He decided to try for something simpler, and more realistic. "How about you don't go back to school? Kings said that you could head the Department of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. You could start spew up again."

"It's S.P.E.W." Hermione responded, "and I will be attending Hogwarts. That is final. And we are final. You clearly don't understand my goals or how I wish to achieve them. We need to be a partnership, and you can't do that." She spelled her trunk to follow her down the steps, Ron following behind her like a kicked puppy.

_The potion isn't working, _he thought. Clearly saying everything he had just suggested was a bad idea, especially without the potion's interference. Before he could stop her, she slammed the front door in his face and he heard the pop of Disapparation.

He'd have to try to talk some sense into her at King's Cross. Until then, he'd have to find out what went wrong with the potion.

OWOA

Saliva needed to be shared. He needed to kiss her. _Kiss her._

Ron didn't get to talk to Hermione, let alone kiss her. She was determinedly ignoring his presence as she hugged the rest of his family goodbye. He watched her walk onto the train, followed by a blonde fellow that Ron had hoped never to see again.

"The ferret is going back?" He sneered.

Harry nodded, face expressionless. Ron knew that Harry wanted to let bygones be bygones - especially in light of Malfoy's mum being his saviour - but he couldn't just forget how much he _hated_the tosser.

Ron sighed dejectedly. He would have to hope that Hermione didn't find some other bloke and swapped spit with him.

"Don't worry mate. She should stop being mad at you in time for the Halloween Ball."

The news Harry imparted made Ron a little happier. It was only two months away. He could wait that long, and he'd apologize to her, and be all romantic, and he'd kiss her, and all would be well. He could wait till she finished school to have the future he had always envisioned.

OWOA

Ron watched as the girl - dressed as a harem girl, _she was hot_- he loved, was spun around the dance floor by the person he hated most - living that is, but even if you included the dead, Draco Malfoy was a very close second.

The flowers he brought with him for his romantic apology lay at his feet, stems snapped from being crushed in his hand. He seethed and pictured all the reasons that Hermione would let such a foul loathsome cockroach lay a finger on her.

"Deep breaths," Harry whispered to him.

Ron inhaled and exhaled slowly. He had every intention of storming into the middle of the dance floor and ripping her from his arms. So what if she was laughing and smiling. _That laugh and smile was reserved for me!_

"Ron, if you ruin this evening for Hermione, I'll ruin you." Ginny warned him, fingers tracing her wand that was hidden in the folds of her Victorian dress.

"What is she doing with him?" He asked through clenched teeth. How could his sister, _his sister_, let this happen. Family was the most important thing to a Weasley, and his sister was standing in the way of his happiness. It made no sense.

"She has been looking forward to this for the past few weeks and you will not do anything to upset her." His sister demanded.

"What do you mean looking forward to this?" Harry asked before Ron could blow his top. Ron nodded at the question, he wanted to know the answer too.

"Well, she and Draco - don't look at me like that, Hermione insists we all be on good terms - are both Head students and have to work closely together."

Harry nodded while Ron questioned McGonagall's sanity. Malferret as Head Boy? Didn't Neville destroy a Horcrux? What in the world did Malfoy ever do to deserve the title? His musings made him miss some of Ginny's explanation. "Wait, what?" he interrupted.

Ginny rolled her eyes at him. "I was saying that she's been helping him plead his and his family's case in front of the Wizengamot. You know Hermione, always fighting for a cause. She doesn't agree with the charges being laid against them, nor the punishment. They've been spending a lot of time together and I guess Hermione has developed a little crush on the guy."

"And she came as his… date?" Ron was barely able to choke out the last word. It stabbed at his heart.

"Obviously. He's dressed as a sheik. They are wearing matching costumes." Ginny rolled her eyes again.

"So this is just a date? Nothing more?" Harry asked, Ron gave him a small smile in thanks. He needed what hope he could get. He could hear the cracks in his heart growing.

"Not sure, actually. The two have been spending even more time together. She watches him at Quidditch practice."

"She didn't do that when she was with me!" Ron shouted, drawing the attention of several people around them.

Ginny glared at them all, quickly sending them away back to what they were doing before Ron's outburst.

Before Ginny could address Ron's latest point, the subject of their conversation came to join them.

"Oh Harry, it's so good to see you! You look dashing as Mr. Darcy." Hermione said, hugging him. She turned to Ronald and gave him a small smile, raising Ron's spirits, "Hello, Ronald."

He tried to keep the smile on his face. She only called him Ronald when she was angry with him. He kicked the flowers at his feet away from their little group, less she see his latest attempt for her. She always said he had a temper, he didn't want to remind her of any of his faults when he just wanted her to love him back.

"You all remember Draco." She pulled him by the hand so that he stood next to her. Ron watched as the Malferret wrapped his arms around her bare waist. He trailed his eyes up her form, and wished that it was his arm wrapped around her. This was the first time he ever saw that much skin on the girl, and he could only hope that it was the same in the case of her date. When he reached her head, he saw Malfoy smirk in his direction, quickly leading Ron's thoughts down a dark path.

"Nice to see you again, Draco." Harry pushed his hand forward, making sure to knock Ron a little with his elbow.

"Likewise," Draco drawled, shaking Harry's proffered hand.

Ron watched the smile on Hermione's face grow into a full blown grin at the sight of her 'crush' - _He could feel his chest collapse at the thought_- and best friend being civil. He smiled at the happiness radiating off his love. He nodded at Draco, trying not to give her more reason to be angry with him. He could try to apologize to her later when she was away from Malferret's clutches.

Hermione smiled at him and Ron's heart skipped a beat. _There's still a chance._

She turned to look up at Draco, he was a head taller than her and smiled at him. She used his shoulder to pull herself up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

Ron clenched his fist. How he wanted to punch the wizard in the face. His smug expression only angered him further. He looked to Ginny and Harry, wondering if they saw the look, but they only shrugged at him and smiled at the couple.

"Well, it was nice seeing you. Hermione and I are going to go get some air." Malfoy said as he held Hermione's hand leading her away from him.

He watched her give a secret smile to Ginny and he had had enough. He couldn't stand for this.

"Ron, I warned you." Ginny said as she grabbed his arm, halting him from following the love of his life leaving on the arm of the evil snake.

"I just want to make sure he's on the up and up." He said, plying her fingers off him. "I won't ruin her 'happiness,'" He sneered as he trampled off trying to find them.

OWOA

He walked the grounds, hands in his pockets, reminiscing the good times, times when he and Hermione were friends, and there was an undercurrent that everyone knew would lead to them being together.

He couldn't pinpoint where he went wrong. Everyone _expected_them to get married and have children. Even his own mum said so when consoling him after Hermione had left all those months ago. He had it all pictured.

_He would come home, not far from the Burrow, the smell of freshly made dinner in the air. He'd open the door to the pitter-patter of his two children - a girl and a boy - jumping into his arms, happy to see their father after a long day. They would recall their day to him as he walked into the kitchen to kiss Hermione. She would be rotund with their next child, and he would wrap his arms around her, rubbing her belly._

He was pulled from the fantasy by the sounds of slurping. He wasn't anywhere near the Black Lake but in the courtyard. He stilled, pulled out his wand, and listened closely for the sound. He stalked in the direction he assumed where the it was coming from.

What he saw made him drop his wand. He couldn't believe the sight before him.

The girl he wanted to marry, the girl he wanted to be the mother of his children, the girl he had dreamt of for the past four years, was on her knees, in what appeared to be servicing a man.

_She never did that for me. I barely got to touch her breasts._

He watched as she bobbed her head, pale fingers clenching in her hair. His eyes followed the hands, up the arms, to the smirking face of Malfoy looking directly at him.

The moans coming from Hermione shot straight down Ron's cock. He had wished, hoped, wanted to be in Malfoy's position. How many times did this particular fantasy serve him on lonely nights in Gryffindor Tower? And here he was, _watching_her give Malfoy a blow job.

A tear slipped down his cheek as he watched Malfoy pull her head by her hair, setting a faster rhythm.

He turned away walking to the lake, instead of the castle, where he could cry his heart out in peace.

OWOA

Ron had heard of the budding relationship between Hermione and Draco. It was featured in the _Daily Prophet_and a sliver of hope came back at the thought of the elder Malfoy's forcing them apart, and Hermione back into his arms.

It didn't work that way though.

_No, they just had to welcome her._

He smelled something fishy. His father said it was good PR and the Malfoys were nothing if not opportunists. Ron figured that Malfoy was simply using Hermione to get his name out of the mud, _ironic pun intended_, and when he was finished with her, Ron could pick up the pieces.

He loved her and would forgive her. Maybe he could use her discretion to get her to concede to a few of his wants - like marrying him right after she completed school. He wouldn't chance another person taking her away from him again. He wanted her for himself and quickly.

OWOA

Ron really didn't want to come. He had every intention of staying home and playing sick. Watching the woman you loved with someone else was heartbreaking.

Harry tried to convince Ron to attend the Slytherin vs Gryffindor match that breezy November afternoon. It was poised to be an epic game. Ginny had said that the Slytherins were working extra hard because Malfoy offered some sort of crazy incentive.

When Ron continued to refuse, Harry finally settled down in the bed opposite him and asked why.

Ron, simply tired of it all, answered, "How did you handle watching Ginny with Dean?"

He watched Harry bristle at the question and immediately regretted asking. He muttered a quick "Sorry, mate," but Harry waved it away.

"If this is about Hermione and Draco, well, you have to get over that. It is real. And it seems they're in it for the long haul, at least for the immediate future."

Ron sat up in his bed, interested in learning more about his competition. _Long haul, not bloody likely,_he thought, while asking out loud, "How do you know?"

"In Ginny's last letter she said that Hermione had to go into the Forbidden Forest to get some ingredients. She didn't show up to dinner, which worried quite a few people. When she wasn't found in the castle, the teachers were alerted and told everyone to wait as they had Hagrid go search the forest for her."

Ron listened with rapt attention, sad that he hadn't been aware of any of this.

Harry continued, "Before Hagrid even entered the forest, Draco ran out cradling Hermione in his arms calling for Madam Pomphrey. Draco was pretty cut up but refused to let go of her until they reached the Hospital Wing. He didn't even let himself get healed until Hermione was seen to."

Ron's eyes misted. _It should have been me to save Hermione._

"Come on, it's quidditch!" Harry changed the subject quickly, "You love quidditch and Draco will be playing so you won't have to see them together."

Ron hadn't thought of that. Draco would be on a broom, far away from Hermione. This would be his chance to finally talk to her.

OWOA

He hadn't spoken to her. He was seated to her left, Harry on her right, just like old times. She was smiling at him, and that made him beam at her. He missed having that smile pointed at him.

As the game continued, he watched her fidget in her seat. He couldn't help but compare his Hermione to _Draco's_Hermione.

His Hermione never watched with such rapt attention as he played. Granted, they weren't together then. _She did Confound McLaggen to ensure I got the spot on the team,_he mentally added. That was a much bigger deal, he felt, then watching the game intensely.

He watched as Hermione tapped her feet and nibbled on her lip, keeping a close eye on both seekers.

Ron bumped shoulders with her, "You okay?"

She gave him a small smile, which caused his heart to flutter. She responded, "Yeah, just want Gryffindor to win," before returning her attention back to the game.

She didn't want her boyfriend to win the game. _Trouble in paradise, perhaps?_Ron smiled to himself.

OWOA

"SLYTHERIN WINS!" the announcer shouted.

Hermione gasped, drawing Ron's attention. The crowds roared. Those dressed in green whistling and celebrating, everyone else booing.

Before Ron could say anything about the game, Hermione shot up from her seat and gave a quick hug goodbye to her best friends, muttering, "I have to go," as she ran down the stands.

Ron didn't like the look on her face as she left them. He nodded to Harry and ran after her, wanting to protect her from whatever had her so antsy. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he found Hermione being held closely by Malfoy, him whispering in her ear, trying to soothe her by rubbing her back.

He watched her nod her head at Malfoy as he lead her into the Slytherin locker room, which immediately had alarm bells ringing in Ron's head. _Why would she be going into the locker room?_he asked himself.

He waited several minutes before following them inside. He stood by the door, in case he needed to make a quick getaway. He bristled at the sight of Hermione unbuttoning her top in front of the whole Slytherin team and was about to intervene when Malfoy glared at him.

Ron heard Malfoy whisper to Hermione to only do as they had agreed earlier, and he'd be right back, before he was pushed out of the locker room by an irate Malferret.

Before he could berate Malfoy for letting _his_ Hermione be debased in such a manner, Malfoy was quick to _Silencio_him.

"You will shut up and listen. She is only doing what I asked. Originally, she was to do much worse, and she had agreed!" Draco exclaimed, pacing in front of the door.

"I don't even want her doing this, but I couldn't back out on my promise to the team, so they're only getting a peek. Nothing more, not what she originally promised to do." He stopped pacing, and glared at Ron. "Not what she promised to do after I realised what _you_did to her!"

Ron's eyes grew large and he tried to control his breathing. Malfoy knew nothing and Ron could easily deny whatever falsehood the git could come up with.

"I had wondered why she was so eager to spend time with me. At first, I just let her buzz around because she was helping my family get pardoned."

Ron made a ruckus, squirming his body and trying to speak, _he knew it!_

"Hush up, I'm not done talking here," Malfoy sneered. "She would do everything, and I mean _everything_, I asked. I had suspected something was going on but it wasn't until Halloween that I was sure. I didn't expect her to do _what you saw_, but she does have talent. When I saw your face it almost ruined the moment, me thinking she had practiced with you before. But the look on your face. Oh, _the look on your face_. It spoke volumes. I was her first, and how I enjoyed that."

Ron's eyes misted. He didn't want to hear about _his_Hermione giving head to another bloke. He tried to block out the words streaming from the Malferret's mouth.

"After that, I did some research. I tried to figure out why she was doing whatever I asked. I performed counter-spells that didn't stop her from basically being my slave, so that narrowed it down to potions." Malfoy started pacing again as he explained, "And did you know, there are only three potions with the symptoms I found with Hermione?"

Ron shook his head.

"Of course not," Malfoy scoffed. "Well, at the time, I realised I didn't want her to stop doing what I asked her to do. My father was still not pardoned, so I couldn't just end that. But I did some digging and spoke with this vendor in Knockturn Alley. Said he was acquainted with a redhead who hadn't realised he needed to share saliva with his intended. Said the bloke came back the next day demanding what went wrong." Malfoy smirked at Ron.

Ron was quivering. He knew. _Malfoy knew_. Ron's eyes frantically scanned his surroundings.

Malfoy started laughing. "She drank my tea! I was sick and she took my cup and drank from it! And now she does whatever I ask of her." He smirked again. "I have a new appreciation for irony."

The Slytherin team started to file out of the locker room, stopping the confrontation from going any further. Malfoy turned his back to Ron and checked inside, mumbling something to Hermione, before stepped back outside to address him.

"So… You will leave us alone. You will leave Hermione alone. Stop following her looking to protect her. She has me now. I can tell her about your stunt, and she'll never talk to you again. I can tell Magical Law Enforcement, and you'll be in Azkaban before you can even say 'I was an idiot.'"

Ron could only nod before Malfoy cast the counter curse and went back into the locker room.

How could he have been so stupid? Ron was furious with himself, even more so with Malfoy. Who said he had a right to tell him what to do. It was a simple mistake, one he made out of love and desperation. Hermione was _his_and -

He heard moans coming from inside the locker room, quickly stopping his inner thoughts. He opened the door so that it was ajar, giving him just enough space to peek inside. He almost retched at the sight he found.

Hermione was naked, back against the lockers, with her legs wrapped around Malfoy's waist. He was still fully dressed, but it was obvious what he was doing to Hermione. His hands were caressing her breasts as he pounded into her. Hermione was screaming Malfoy's name in time with his thrusts. With each breath, she would shout "Draco" and Ron's heart would shatter.

His heart was absolutely broken when he watched Hermione climax and whisper "I love you".

OWOA

Ron refused to go back to any event at Hogwarts for months. He didn't attend the Malfoy New Year's Ball with all of his family, he did not go to watch any other Quidditch games, and he definitely did not go for Hogsmeade weekends to visit with friends.

He refused to watch his heartbreak further. He knew, he just knew there was something he could do to save her from Malfoy's grasp.

He spent months searching for an antidote. He had to pay the original vendor several galleons just to have access to the person he could get it from.

He had to trek through mountains and marshes, and it reminded him of the year before. The time spent with Hermione. It reminded him why he was doing all of this.

He loved her.

And he would do anything he needed to, to get her back.

OWOA

It was June when he finally returned to Hogwarts. His mother made him come as it was his baby sister's graduation as well as Hermione's, and Ron didn't pout or complain.

He had the antidote, and he was going to tell Hermione everything, and she would be mad at first, but she would be so happy to get away from the Malferret that she would see sense and spend the summer with Ron.

He smiled as he listened to Hermione's speech and he tried to hide his sneer with Malfoy's words of goodbye.

When the whole ceremony was completed, he stayed behind his family as they made their way to the stage. He listened on as they congratulated Hermione.

He pushed his way through George and Charlie to find them congratulating Hermione _and_Malfoy. Malfoy had his paws wrapped around Hermione's waist, Hermione's hand rested atop his, and a ring with a large emerald surrounded by diamonds glistened from her left hand.

His heart plummeted.

"Oh yes, Hermione easily convinced the Wizengamot to waive the initial fines if we were to start a charity that would oversee several of the rebuilding efforts." Naricissa's cool voice said, as she smiled down at a blushing Hermione. She was addressing all the Weasleys and the elder Malfoy was also standing next to her, with a soft smile for his wife and Hermione.

Ron needed to end this, and end this soon.

"Hermione, congratulations! Let's take a walk by the lake for old time's sake." Ron quickly interrupted. He couldn't stand to hear about Hermione's future with Malfoy. It wasn't going to happen. _She was his._

Hermione's smile fell a little, but she nodded in acceptance. She kissed her fiancé on the cheek and followed Ron away from the crowd.

"What is this all about Ronald?" Hermione huffed.

"I did something wrong, and I want to fix it." He pulled out the vial that he spent months to procure, "I gave you a potion at the beginning of the year to make you more amenable to me, but I messed up after the delivery and you ended up drinking Malfoy's tea before I could kiss you and then you couldn't stop doing what he asked..." He started mumbling.

Hermione gasped. Ron looked up at her and gave a sheepish smile, "Hermione, you need to drink this. You only said yes to marrying Malfoy because of the potion."

Hermione's eyes teared up and she shook her head. She was muttering, "I can't believe this," over and over again. When she finally looked up into Ron's eyes, it was a look of pure malice.

"I knew about the potion," she said with an eerily even voice. "Draco told me, but didn't say who gave it to me. He gave me the antidote months ago. How could you?" she seethed.

He shook his head, unsure of what to do next. Here he was, making the girl of his dreams cry, having broken her heart with his deceit.

She shouted, "How could you?" then slapped right him across his face, before stomping back to their friends and family.

Ron rubbed his burning cheek, completely depressed. He had ruined all chances he had with Hermione. He slowly treaded behind her, hesitant of the reaction of everyone when she told them the news.

"Oh yes, I'll be running the charity from the Manor," Hermione answered someone from the group. Ron hid behind them all, listening to the happy tilt in her voice. He imagined that it was the voice she used when she would talk to him. "We plan for a short engagement, we'll get married at the end of the summer so we can get started on a family."

Ron's heart shattered. He knew he had lost. Malfoy would have everything he had ever dreamed, wished, and hoped for. Ron walked away from Hogwarts and Apparated.

OWOA

Draco Malfoy heard sniffling coming from his office and quickly became worried. He ambled down the hall and found his wife sitting at her desk, _Daily Prophet _in hand, crying. He rushed over to her side and held her close, eyeing the offending newspaper. He pulled Hermione closer, rubbing her back and smiled into her hair as he read the headline.

_"War Hero, Ronald Weasley, found dead. Suicide Suspected_."


End file.
